Dents in automotive bumpers occur frequently as the bumper is designed to be the first part of the vehicle to come into contact with another object, thereby preventing further damage to the rest of the automobile. Most automotive bumpers are formed of a flexible yet durable material that can withstand minor speed impacts, but are typically deformed or dented by coming into contact with another object when the vehicle is moving at a speed as low as 5 miles per hour. A variety of different objects, including non-stationary objects such as trash cans may cause a deformation in a bumper. Repair of even minor dents in a bumper can often exceed several hundreds of dollars and cause the vehicle to be unavailable for use for many hours, and possibly even for days until the repair can be completed.
Techniques for repairing dents in automobile bumpers range from banging the dent out with a hammer to using sophisticated metal shop presses. Due to the expense associated with the current press systems, the preferred method of repairing dents in automobile bumpers is to use a handheld tool and provide manual force to reshape the bumper into its original contour. This method however is difficult to perfect and perform consistently. It also often requires repainting of the entire bumper due to the flaking and chipping that occurs as the hammer strikes the bumper material.
Some systems have been proposed that try to overcome these disadvantages. One such system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,075. This system, however, still requires manual force to reshape the bumper. The system also requires that the bumper still be attached to the vehicle in order to provide the complementary force required to pull the dented portion of the bumper back into its original shape.
Another such system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,014,885. This system uses a combination anvil and impact head powered by a motor disposed within a common housing. The disadvantages of this system include the likelihood of abrasion to the outer surface of the bumper caused by contact with the impact head, as well as the difficulty of positioning the two elongated arms beneath the vehicle in order to reach the desired location on the bumper. This system also requires that the bumper be secured to another object to prevent the bumper from moving while engaging with the anvil head.
Another system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,270, which provides multiple tools and tips for mounting on said tools to repair dents in automobile body parts. This system also has the disadvantage of requiring manual force to repair the dent, and requires some skill in selecting the appropriate tip for the type of dent to be repaired. None of the prior art systems teaches a reliable and repeatable method of repairing dents in automobile bumpers.
It is therefore desirable to provide a portable press assembly that allows quick and easy repair of a bumper while detached from the vehicle. It is desirable to provide the user with increased flexibility to modify the position and alignment of a tool assembly for positioning at the center of the deformation and thereby increasing the accuracy with which a user may restore the original shape of the bumper.